Overview 

Students use all three career tools — Focus 2, Career Coach, and Vault — to build a fuller picture of one career by combining self-knowledge with labor market data and real-world industry context. GenAI prompts are integrated throughout as a thinking partner, supporting interpretation and planning rather than replacing student reflection.

Materials Needed

• Projector/screen for instructor demonstrations
• Assignment options handout (below)
• GenAI Prompts reference sheet (below)
• Student devices with internet access and student email login
• Access to the following tools (students should access each through the hyperlinks provided):

Tool	Purpose	Notes
Career Coach	Labor market data	Student email
Focus 2	Career & interest assessments	Access Code: red hawk
Vault	Career & industry guides	Student email

Preparation 

Prepare brief demos for Career Coach’s wage and job outlook comparison features and Vault’s career guides and day-in-the-life sections. Review the GenAI prompts in advance so you can direct students to the right prompt at the right moment in the lesson. Decide in advance whether students will choose their own assignment option or whether you will assign one.

Lesson Sequence

Time	Activity	Description
0:00–0:05	Introduction and Expectations	Instructor: Frame the purpose: “Good career decisions combine self-knowledge and labor market data.” Outline how each tool serves a different purpose: Focus 2: self-knowledge (interests, values, skills) Career Coach: labor market reality (salary, growth, demand); Vault: industry depth (environment, advancement, day-in-the-life).  Students: Before opening any tools, write your response to this prompt: What do you want from a career? Consider: money, stability, helping others, flexibility, creativity, or anything else that matters to you.
0:05–0:25	Focus 2: Self-Assessment	Instructor: Have students complete at least two assessments — choose from interests, skills, or values.  Students: Complete at least two Focus 2 assessments and record: top 3 career suggestions and why each might be a good fit. Reflection prompt: Which of these careers feels most realistic for you right now? Why?  GenAI prompt (optional): See Clarifying Interests and Making Sense of Assessment Results prompts below.
0:25–0:40	Career Coach: Market Reality Check	Instructor: Demonstrate how to compare wages and job outlook across careers. Show students how to filter by local or regional demand.  Students: Choose one career from your Focus 2 results and research it in Career Coach. Record: local or regional demand, salary range, required education or credentials. Critical thinking prompt: Is this career growing, stable, or declining — and does that change how you feel about it?  GenAI prompts (optional): See Understanding Job Outlook and Education Pathway Clarity prompts below.
0:40–0:55	Vault: Career and Lifestyle Exploration	Instructor: Guide students to the career guides and day-in-the-life sections within Vault.  Students: Research the same career in Vault and record: typical work environment, required skills, career advancement potential, pros and cons of the field. Discussion prompt: Would this career fit your lifestyle and values? What works for you — and what gives you pause?  GenAI prompt (optional): See Skill Translation prompt below.
0:55–1:00	Wrap-Up Reflection	Students respond in writing: Has your career direction changed today? Why or why not?  Collect responses or use as an exit ticket.

Assignment Options (students choose one)

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Option 1 — Career Reflection Paper (~2 pages)

Using all three tools from today’s lesson, write a reflection paper analyzing one career that interests you. Your paper should be organized around the four sections below. You may use short paragraphs throughout.

Section 1 — Why This Career Interests You 

Introduce the career you explored and explain what drew you to it. This can be a personal connection, something that came up in your Focus 2 results, a recommendation from someone you know, or simply curiosity.

• What is the career, and what does someone in this role actually do day to day?
• Why does it appeal to you? What about it fits who you are or what you value?

Section 2 — Labor Market Outlook (Career Coach) 

Using what you found in Career Coach, describe the current state of this career field.

• What is the typical salary range, locally and/or nationally?
• Is this field growing, stable, or declining?
• What level of education or training is required?
• Does the data make this career feel more or less appealing to you? Why?

Section 3 — Personal Fit (Focus 2) 

Draw on your Focus 2 assessment results to reflect on how well this career aligns with your interests, skills, and values.

• Did Focus 2 suggest this career, or did you choose it independently?
• How does your interest or skills profile connect to what this career requires?
• Is there anything about your assessment results that surprised you or gave you pause?

Section 4 — Work Environment and Skills (Vault) 

Using what you found in Vault, describe what it would actually be like to work in this field.

• What is the typical work environment — office, clinical, outdoor, remote, client-facing?
• What skills are most important for success in this career?
• What does career advancement look like?
• What are the pros and cons of this field based on your research?

Section 5 — Next Steps at LaGuardia 

Close your paper with one or two realistic steps you could take this semester to move toward this career.

• Is there a major, program, or certificate at LaGuardia that connects to this path?
• Is there a campus resource — advisement, career services, a club, a workshop — that could help?
• What is one thing you will actually do, and when?

GenAI Use — Optional and Allowed 

You may use GenAI to help you understand labor market data, interpret your Focus 2 results, or generate reflection questions to get your thinking started. GenAI should support your writing process — not replace it. Before submitting, make sure every section reflects your own thinking, your own words, and your own conclusions. If you used GenAI at any point in your process, include a brief note at the end of your paper describing how you used it and what you did with the output.

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Option 2 — Career Action Plan (~1 page) 

Outline a clear plan for moving toward your career goal.

Using your research from today’s lesson, create a concrete, realistic action plan for moving toward your career goal. Your plan should be honest about where you are right now and specific about what comes next. You may use bullet points or short paragraphs.

Part 1 — Career Goal 

State the career you are targeting and a one-sentence explanation of why.

• Example: I want to become a Registered Nurse because I want a stable career that involves working directly with people and making a meaningful difference in their health.

Part 2 — Intended Major or Pathway at LaGuardia 

Identify the program, major, or certificate at LaGuardia that connects to your goal.

• What degree or credential will you pursue?
• If you are undecided, identify two possible pathways and note what you need to find out to choose between them.

Part 3 — Skills and Experience Needed 

Based on your Vault and Career Coach research, list the skills and experience that matter most for this career.

• Which of these do you already have, even partially?
• Which do you need to build?
• How might you start this semester?

Part 4 — Timeline 

Map out a realistic path from now to graduation.

• This semester: What is one action you will take in the next few weeks?
  • (Examples: meeting with an advisor, attending a career workshop, researching internships, enrolling in a relevant course)
• Before graduation: What experiences, skills, or credentials do you want to have by the time you finish at LaGuardia?
• After graduation: What is your intended next step — a job, a transfer, a certification?

Part 5 — Campus Resources 

Identify at least two LaGuardia resources that can support your plan.

• Examples: Career Services, Academic Advisement, tutoring, clubs or professional organizations, internship programs, transfer advisement
• For each resource, note what you would use it for and when you plan to reach out.

GenAI Use — Optional and Allowed 

You may use GenAI to help you brainstorm next steps, clarify career pathways, or think through your timeline. The prompts in the GenAI Exercises section of Module 4 are a good starting point. Because this plan is about YOUR goals and YOUR path, the decisions and commitments it contains must be genuinely yours. GenAI can help you think, but it cannot plan your future for you. If you used GenAI at any point, include a one-sentence note describing how.

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GenAI Prompts for Career Exploration

The prompts below are designed to be used alongside the lesson tools. Each prompt includes a recommended moment in the lesson and a learning outcome. Students should always review GenAI responses critically and rewrite information in their own words.

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Clarifying Interests 

Best used with Focus 2: “I am a first-year college student interested in ________. What types of careers often match this interest, and what skills do people in those careers enjoy using?” 

Learning Outcome: Helps students connect interests to skills

When: After the Focus 2 interest assessment

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Making Sense of Assessment Results 

Best used with Focus 2: “Focus 2 suggested the following careers for me: ________. Can you explain why these careers might fit someone with my interests and strengths?” 

Learning Outcome: Interpretation, not substitution

When: After viewing Focus 2 results

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Understanding Job Outlook 

Best used with Career Coach: “Explain the job outlook and salary for a ________ in simple terms for a college student.” 

Learning Outcome: Data literacy

When: After Career Coach research

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Skill Translation 

Best used with Vault: “What skills should a college student start building if they want to become a ________?” 

Learning Outcome: Actionable planning

When: After Vault career guide

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Education Pathway Clarity 

Best used with Career Coach: “What types of education or training are typically required for a career as a ________?” 

Learning Outcome: Academic planning

When: After Career Coach education requirements

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Decision Support (Not Decision-Making) 

Best used with any tool: “Based on what I know about my interests and goals, what questions should I ask myself before committing to a career in ________?” 

Learning Outcome: Critical self-reflection

When: After reviewing all three tools

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Next Step Planning 

Best used with any tool: “What are realistic next steps a first-year college student could take to explore a career in ________?” 

Learning Outcome: Short-term goal setting

When: Action plan stage

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Student GenAI Reflection

After completing the lesson and GenAI prompts, respond to the following:

1. How did GenAI change the way you think about your career options?
2. What final decision or insight did you come to yourself — not through GenAI?

Facilitation Notes 

The opening reflection prompt (“What do you want from a career?”) anchors students in their own values before data and assessments start influencing their thinking. Return to it during the wrap-up to see if anything has shifted. The GenAI prompts are designed to support specific moments in the lesson, not to be worked through all at once; direct students to the relevant prompt at each stage rather than distributing the full list at the start. The Student GenAI Reflection at the end reinforces that GenAI is a thinking partner, not a decision-maker.

Differentiation / Accessibility Suggestions 

Students who are undecided or overwhelmed by options can be directed to start with the Decision Support prompt before using any of the tools. It helps them generate their own guiding questions first. For students who finish early, encourage them to research a second career for comparison using the same three-tool framework. Either assignment option can be adapted to bullet point format for students who need additional writing support.